Skid steer loaders typically include a compact mobile fore-and-aft extending frame having an engine compartment adjacent a rear end of the frame and an operators compartment provided intermediate opposed sides of the machine. Such machines furthermore include a front end loader such as material handling bucket supported for pivotal movement about a transverse axis at a forward end of a lift boom including a pair of lift arms extending along opposite sides of the frame.
In machines of this type, some form of cab enclosure or protective structure is arranged in surrounding relation relative to the operator's compartment and typically extends over a drive train of the machine including the engine and transmission. A significant problem arises, however, because the cab enclosure, when in an operational position relative to the skid steer loader frame, prevents free access into those areas of the machine enclosed by the cab enclosure but which often require repair and/or daily maintenance.
In earlier models, the cab enclosure or protective structure was detachably secured to the skid steer loader frame. Thus, a significant amount of time was involved to completely remove the cab enclosure from the frame to enhance access to areas on the machine normally inaccessible with the cab enclosure in an operative position relative to the frame.
Certain improvements have been made to the cab enclosure of such machines. Today, the cab enclosure of a skid steer loader is typically secured to the frame of the skid steer loader for pivotal or rotational movement of the cab enclosure about a horizontal axis extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of the frame of the skid steer loader. Such design allows the cab enclosure to be raised to a tilt-back or nonoperational position thus providing a technician with service access to those components and areas of the machine normally inaccessible when the protective structure is secured to the frame.
While one end of the cab enclosure is secured by the pivot or rotational mechanism allowing for pivotal movement of the cab enclosure to a tilt back position, the other end of the cab enclosure tends to bounce or vertically move as the skid steer loader is driven over uneven or bumpy terrain. Moreover, the cab enclosure tend to tilt about the pivot when the loader is driven across steeply sloped terrain. In an attempt to solve this problem, elongated bolts and threaded nuts have been used to secure opposite end of the protective structure to the frame of the loader. When the cab is to be rotated out of the way, however, the operator or service technician is required to find the right tools to undo the bolts and nuts used to secure the cab enclosure to the frame. As often happens, the bolt and nut on one side of the machine may be different sizes than those on the opposite side. Accordingly, valuable time is lost in obtaining the correct tools for releasing the securement of the cab enclosure to the frame of the loader. Moreover, a problem results when either the bolt or nut is misplaced or lost and thus further valuable time is lost in attempting to find or replace the misplaced or lost parts.
Thus, there is a need and a desire for a mechanism allowing the cab enclosure of a skid steer loader to be releasably secured to the frame and which does not require the use of tools to move the cab enclosure from an operational position to a nonoperational or tilt back position relative to the frame of the loader.